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Influence of acetylene to argon flow rate ratios on structure and properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films produced on steel substrates by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Ming Xu ,
Xun Cai ,
Qiulong Chen ,
Jun Zhao  and
Paul K. Chu
Ming Xu
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China; and Department of Physics & Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Xun Cai
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China
Qiulong Chen
Affiliation:
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China
Jun Zhao
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong; and Southwestern Institute of Physics, Chengdu, 610041 Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
Paul K. Chu*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: paul.chu@cityu.edu.hk
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Abstract

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films were fabricated using mixed acetylene and argon plasma with various flow rate ratios of acetylene to argon. Raman scattering and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that changing the flow rate ratios (FC2H2 to FAr) has a large impact on the structure of the films. Enhanced film hardness and reduced surface roughness were achieved at higher ratios attributable to the high ion flux and efficient etching by hydrogen. However, the film surface exposed to atomic hydrogen at a higher C2H2 flow rate becomes rougher. The sp3 content and film hardness also reach saturation combined with a fissile surface due to the high stress.

Keywords

AmorphousIon-solid interactionsPlasma deposition

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Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , April 2007 , pp. 982 - 988
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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